Develop simple and cost-effective fabrication method for micro-porous structures using sugar leaching technology

• Main Author: Tan, Wilson.
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54093
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In this project, a simple and low-cost fabrication technique of microporous structure based on sugar leaching technique was proposed. Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was mixed with the curing agent and poured into a mold containing sugar particles. After curing and demolding, the sugar particles were dissolved and washed away thus producing a 3D interconnected microporous structures. This technique results in a highly porous and compressible material. Pore size and porosity of the structure were controlled by using the ratio and the particle size of the sugar particles. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to characterise the microporous structure. Different porosity and porous sizes ranging from 5μm to 500 μm were able to be obtained. The nonconductive nature of the microporous PDMS can be altered to possess conductivity by adding Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) into it. The result of this is a highly flexible, compressible and conductive material which would find numerous potential applications such as in a Strain Sensitive Resistor.